Caster.



IMMERRIOK, JR. & 0. E. M

OASTER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 22. 1905.

PATENTED JULY 8, 1906'. ILLER.

ing shown in section.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

ROBERT MERRICK, JE, AND oTT1s E. MILLER, or HOPEDALE, OHIO.

CASTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3, 1906.

Application filed December 22, 1905. Serial No. 292,996.

To all 2072 0121, it may concern:

Be it known that we, ROBERT M RRIQK, Jr.,-. and OTTIs'E. MILLER, citizens of the United States, residing at Hopedale, in the county of Harrison. and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gasters, of which the following is a specification.

The object of our invention is to provide an improved construction of caster embodying novel features whereby the caster may be withdrawn from operative position with relation to its support, so that the latter may rest rigidly on the floor or the like and which may be readily projected into an operative position with respect to itssupport in order that the article to which it is attached may be easily rolled from place to place.

In the present embodiment of the inven-. tion we have shown our improvement applied to a stove-leg, which constitutes the support for the caster and its actuating means; but it is to be understood that this embodiment is for the purposes of illustration only and that our improvements are applicable to table-legs or to various other articleswhere casters are useful.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result reference accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is aside elevation of a stove-leg embodying our improved caster, the same being shown in retracted position and parts be- Fig. 2 is a similar view is to be had to the followin description and of the caster in extended position. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially at right angles to Figs. 1 and 2.

orr'esponding and like parts are referred to inthejfol lowing description and indicated in allth views of the drawings byfthe same refein e, cli" acters. Y QT Referring ithe drawings, the numeral 1' designatesf th'ejleg of a stove which in the present instance constitutes the support for' our improvedlcaster and its means for projecting and retracting the same. The leg 1 is provided at itslower end with a foot-2, which in the present instance is hollow and forms a chamber 3 for the reception of the caster.

The foot 2 may completely surround the cas-' ter when the latter is Withdrawn or retracted therein, or it may be extended only partiall around the same, so long as it'provides a su ficient bearing-surface at its lower edge to produce a stable or rigid structure for the article of whichit constitutes a base.

The caster here shown is of the ball type and comprises a rolling sphere 4, having universal motion within a casing 5. The casing 5 is provided above the sphere 4 with blocks 6, formed with preferably V-shaped races 7 and races 7 and small balls or rollers or other antifriction devices 8 are interposed between Said races and the sphere 4 for the purpose of reducing friction in the customary manner. To the upper end of the casing or housing 5 are secured two opp0sitely-disposed angular plates or lugs 9, which constitute between them an inverted-T-shaped retaining-guideway 10 for a coacting flange 11 of a camplate 12, and the latter is provided adjacent said flange with a fiat surface 13. The camplate 12 is provided with studs 14, mounted in the support 1, and at one edge is formed with notches 15and 16. The lever 17 has a bifurcated end, the two members of which (designated 18) straddle or embrace the camplate 12 and are provided with elongated slots 18 receiving the pin 14. The lever 17 is further provided with a lug 19, which is so related to the pin 14 and the slots 18 that.

when the lever is moved longitudinally with respect to the cam-plate 12, the said lug 19 our improvements let it be assumed that the I parts are first in the position shown in Fig. 1 of the "accompanying drawings, with. the

caster retracted in the'foot of the support 1 and the said foot restingsolidly upon the floor or the like. In order to project the caster into operative position, the lever 17 is moved longitudinally until its lug 19 engages in the notch 15, which will efiect a rigid relation between the lever and the camlate 12. If the lever then be rocked away om the support -1, it will in turn move the cam-plate 12, so that the cam-flange 11 thereof will by bearing downwardly upon the body of the caster casing or housing move the caster outwardly and cause it to project from the lower edge of the foot 2, so that the support will be will be mounted in its projected position to a reasonably certain de es without further ressing upon or he ding the lever 17. once the lever may be then withdrawn from its locking engagement with the cam-plate and turned backwardly into its initial position against the support 1, in which position it will come into registry with the notch 16, and it may then be again slid longitudinally, so that its lug will engage the said notch 16 to provide against any possibility of the caster being accidentally moved into its retracted position. It will thus be understood that the lever when in engagement with the notch 16 looks the cam-plate in one position to hold the caster projected. By providing the improvements heretofore described it is manifest that when the caster is projected the lever does not necessarily extend at an awkward angle to the support 1, where it would be in the way, but may be turned snug against the support.

From the foregoing description, in connection with the accompanyin drawings, it will be seen that we have provi ed a device which will enable heavy articles, such as stoves, to be eonvenientl moved from place to place and which em odies novel features of construction for either projectin the caster into an operative position or for a lowing it to assume an inoperative retracted position in its support, so that the article to which it is applied may have a firm stand upon the support or the like.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is-- 1. A device of the character described, comprising a support, acaster for said support, a cam-plate designed to move said caster into an extended position with respect to the support, a lever for actuating said camplate and pivotally connected thereto, said cam-plate and lever being provided with means for their locking engagement in two difierent relative positions and the former being constructed to hold the caster projected independently of said lever.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a support, a caster for said su port, a cam device. arranged to move t e caster into'an extended position with respect to the sup ort, and a lever ivotally connected to t e cam device and arranged for detachable unlocking engagement therewith, the cam device being provided with a fiat portion designed to automatically hold the caster in extended position independently of. the lever, for the purpose specified.

sea-res 3. A device of the character; described comprising a support, a caster for said support, a cam-plate arranged to move said caster into an extended position with respect to the support and provided on its ed e with a notch, and a lever having a longitu allyslidable connection with said cam-plate and rovided with a lug designed to enter said notch thereby connecting the lever to the cam-plate.

i 4. A device of the character described comprising a support, a caster for said support, a cam-plate arranged to move the caster into an extended position with respect to the support, and provided onits edge with two notches, and a lever longitudinally slidable with respect to the cam-plate, and provided with a lug desi ed to enter either one of said notches, as an for the purpose set forth.

5. A device of the character described comprising a support, a caster for said support provided with a retaining-guideway, a cam-plate having a flange engaging in said guideway and designed to move the caster into an extended position with respect to the support, said cam-plate being provided with a supporting-stud, and a lever slidably mounted on said stud and provided with means for detachable engagement with said cam-plate.

6. A device of the character described comprising a support, a caster for said support, said casterbeing provided with a retaining-guideway, a cam-plate mounted in said support and provided with a flange working in said guideway and also provided with a notched edge, and a lever having a bifurcated end the members of which are slotted and which embrace said cam-plate, the slots thereof receiving said stud, and said lever being provided with a lug arranged for detachable engagement with the notched edge of the cam-plate.

7. A device of the character described comprising a support, a caster for said support, means for moving said caster into an extended position with respect to the support, a lever pivotally and permanently connected to the caster-moving means and dcsigned'to be swung out away from the sup- IIO port to actuate the caster-moving means, the j caster-moving means being constructed to hold the caster projected independently of said lever, and the caster-moving means and lever being provided with means for their detachable locking engagement, whereby the lever may be swung back against the support with the caster in rejected position.

In testimony w ereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses. ROBERT MERRICK, J 1:. OTTIS E. MILLER. Witnesses:

J. B. MANSFIELD, HARRY MANSFIEID.

[u s] LL. s.] 

